Transmission device for marine motors



sept 1s, 192s. 1,684,952!` W. C. E SLECK TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR MARINEMOTORS Filed Aug. 11.. 1926 sgil x INVENTOR L/AMC. fsAfc/f f//s ATTORNEYIll) Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITEDV ,STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. ESLECK, OF WHITESTONE, NEW YORK.

TRANSMISSION DEVICE Fon'MAnrNn ivromons. n

Appneanon mea Aug-ust 11, 1926.v serial No. 128,619.

' more effective and dependable transmission mechanisms withoutmaterially increasing the expense of their manufacture.

Another object of my inmprovement is to provide a transmission devicefor marine launches whereby a maximum of efficiency .is obtained by aminimum of weight of the essential operable parts thereof.

A still further object of invention is to provide a multiple actionclutch mechanism of the class described which may be variously operatedby a single hand lever carried to opposite positions and which maythereby be brought intov a neutral inoperative position when desired.

VOther purposes will appear as the description proceeds, and in thespecification and claims, which it isnot deemed necessary to set outspecifically in this connection.

herewith, employs ordinary differentials consist-ing of four gearssuitably mounted in` a revoluble casing and a stationary case or boxwithin which the rotatable' casing is housed. A. motor driven shaftenters boththe stag tionary box and rotatable vcasing from onedirection, a propeller shaft in alignment therewith entering thereinfrom the opposite direction. The driving shaft has keyed thereto whatmay-be termed the actuating gear ,of the differentials and the othershaft has a screw propeller secured to an endtliere-V of and isoperablyattached to theoppositely differential. i f

lt is well known that in operating` mecha! nisni ofthe type abovedescribed, to effect the respective vforward and reverse motions of thevehicle to bedriven thereby, the differential case and itsincludedgears`are,on

vthe one hand, made to rotate asa unit mechVV anism together with thedriving and propeller shafts which are thereby caused to rotateinunison; or, on the other hand, the gear casing is held stationary bysome convenient form of frictional brake device, the gears alonefunctioning to cause the two shafts to be driven in oppositedirections.Frietional clutchingmeans of varioustypes are em-k ployed for operablyConnecting the differentialscase with the drive shaft yfor the socalledforward motion.

My improvements o'f those well known mechanisms and their operationcomprise" Vthefintroduction of positive lockingvmeans to supplement thefrictional devices both for the rotationof the differential casingandforholding it against rotation, as re'- quired..` 1 y "lo this endlemploy for effecting both connections, i. e., the rotatable and thefrictional brake contacts, two independent, lon! gitudinally slidable4Iclutches. One orV these'clutches is splined upon the driving shaft andengages the casing by means of an expansible rim adapted to be pressedinto and out of contact with an annular inner face thereof as the hub ofthe clutch isV actuated longitudinallyv .of the shaft. The'other clutchor brake in the form illustrated is also kslidably, thatl is,'non-rotatively, mounted upon the inner wall of the outer `case ortransmission boX, and has an internal tapered face adapted to engage aGenerically described the preferred em` bodiment of my improvements, asillustrated correspondingly'taperd annular face of the rotatable case;and when actuated longitudinallyr of its bearings this clutch grips'thegear case and frictionally holds it against further tendency to rotate.To the slidable parts of each of these clutches Iafiix a series ofpins'designed to function clutch teeth and'which project forwardly inthe direction of the engaging motion of the clutch members onl whichthey are respectively mounted, into engaging relationship, the pins ofthe clutch on the drive shaft into a corresponding series of holes vinanenlargedfend or head of the propeller f y shaft and the pins on thebrake clutch into tliepathof onepor more radialjcontact pins`uponthe.differential case.

I tv'will be apparent that if the Vholes of the propeller Vshaftdo notregister with the tooth-pins of the-clutch on the driving. shaft, whenthe clutch is first thrown in, those pins which are yieldably mountedink the kclutch Will of their own action spring into their orificeseffecting positive. locking engagement thereWitl'i"` upon the clutchSlipping to the necessary extent, Whicliin any event need, not be `morethan the distance between holes on the Vpropeller shaft,` the pinsobviously not being required to functionexcept in, case,

of the actual tion.V i o I In the preferred form illustrated thepropeller shalftfis shownA slidably mountedand. splined toitsdifferential gear for the purslipping of the clutch connecpose,` amongother rea-sons which Will hereinafter more fully appear, of utilizingthe? impact ot the screwpropeller against the@ water tOfthnust itselfboth" forward and backward-in the reverse action.V its outward movementforcing the above mentioned raidial pins into` position to engagertheclutch pins on theouter or braking clutch.

Obviously these radialpins would in a manner perform their primaryfunction if permanently held. intheirextended positions to, engageltheclutch or brake pins as the A latter moire Withtheir, clutch into thecircu- Vlar` Vpath A0;@ thenadial. pins; but 'I prefer to tivelyaccomplished, inthe present preferred l embodiment by' meansfof, the`slidable actionr of the propeller'shaftwhich is employed. in

the manner explained toAv expand the l radial pins only after thegeancase has at least operably reduced its momentum or in itsnor-` maloperation has ceased entirely to rotate, whereupon the clutch pins willbefthrust into position tolhold the case from slipping tlereafter moreth an; apartial rotation thereo V"Wardliyin driving forwardlyy byvirtueof the inertia et` the Water, reacting against the` screwV keyedtl1ereon` 1t carries its orlficed head in the direction of the pinfliketeeth of i l the clutch on thedriving; shaft,`ivhich slid,-

ing motion ot'the propeller shaft, as already seen, is not essential orindispensable to ef.- i'ectthe locking action ofthisclutch fort-heobvious reason that the yieldlnglstrulture of rthe clutch pins willpermit themto function automatically whenltho clutch parts slip suf?` ficiently toV bring the holes and ypins into Y en# raging relationship,l`But considering the important advantage of'having thepropeller` shaftactuate the lockingf meailsiinfreversal A"it must also in the natureof'things bemade to slide lforwardly; andfnrtherinore it .Inlltg betaken into account that the forward thrust of the propeller shaftoccurring only after the :frictional shaft has already operated,

Wfhen the propellelshaft isithrust in- `even if imperfectly, has causedthe` two shafts to. rotate inthe same direction before the! ins anebrought into play..

Owever, inthus employing a sliding c0n nection to permit thelongitudinall movements of the propellersl'raft to coact in effectingthel positive locking actions described it is not 'desired to limit thescope of my improvement, tosuch details, the object being tio effect thepositive` locking connections described't by means of the clutch,motions primarily and if it vbe soA desired to-fdispense with thesliding feature `of the propeller shatt almgjether, in Whichinstaneethemeans for locking@ the casato the` station-ary boia` will be effectedin the manner already 4de;

scribed, namely, by dispemsiyng` with the slidably operated radial pinsand constituting@ them as rigid stndsproject-ing from the: 11o?tatablcase asstatedf i The. accompanying drawings forming a part of thiss ieeiieation are illustrative `of@` a preferred orin `of` myimprovement,V of whichV i ential gears therein: contained, showing thecontiguous ends ot propeller and, driving Shafts; I f

Fig.i2\is atransverse sectional, View onl line 2-2 ofFig. l; and7`Figure lisa dametral Sectional` view. ofi-90 y the rotatable landstationary eases andl difer- Figs. .3 and.` 4, arfa-partiali sectionalviews,h

similarto Fig.y 1, showing respective pants in movedpositions y v o y jY Havingreference.` to i theA drawings z i l0() The` numeral l'nepresentsan oil-tight out,j er boX: or case shown cylindrical VAin the`drawings, which contains the. essential; parts` of my improvements asillustl'ilited,` and1 is provided withI lugs 2 for making stationaryYwith the; launch or other device to which it- Inayfbe applied. `At bothendsv 'centrallyV thereof enter two shagftsggatithe right hand i `(seeF-ig. 1i) isshownian endfof the crank or driving shalt 10. lof.an'engineormotor,

V.which is.` designed "to, rotate continuously so` longas themechamsmrmay vbe renuirzed'to bedriven-fin either "direction At tieopposite end` of, thepropeller. Vshaft 20 enters the, case 1 in axialalignment Vwiththe drivingV Shaft 1 0, these shaftsbeing suitablyprovided with oil and water tight ,bearj ugs of which the detailsofconstructionhave not been deemed4 necessary, to be shown. u

Within the box 1` and mounted-uponthe shafts 1.0; isa notatablefcase()whichwith the flanged head L10,consti tntesa casingftliat containSl fourbeveledigears constitutin the s ordinary chain of ditlerentialls7soealler l; of`

these the geaizl is pinned or otherwisefxed `to the drivniggshaft 10thesimilarlgear 32 1 `opposlly-e disposed "thereto is slidably monnteduponthe propeller shaft 20,.thefop- {yositely disposed intermediate gears133 being. oosely mounted upon studst projecting inf.

las,

wardly from the opposite walls of the dif- 'fereiitial casing. The hubslof the gears 3l of the case and is firmly and permanently ield thereinby means of the bolts l2 entendving through lugs 30 and the flange ll ofthe -head member. The member 40 thus rieidl'f Lil) secured to thedifferential case has attached thereto, preferably vintegraltherewith, acylindrical extension of Aflange which has .the external or peripheraltapered surface d5 adapted to correspondingly tapered internal vface ofa sildably mounted brake clutch 50 presently to be described moreindetail, and the internal surface 4 6 having therein the annular groovet7 against the bottom' of which is adapted to bear the peripheral surface of the expanding ring G7 of the clutch member next to beconsidered.

The inner ciitch 60 comprises a hub 64 slidably mounted upon the drivingshaft l0 by means of a spline 60a` and being actuated by means of a handlever (not shown) connected by the forked link 6l which is pivotallyatt-ached to a ring 62 held within a groove 63 suitably providedtherein. Upon.

the hub 64, loosely mounted upon the pins 69 thereon are the radiallydisposed levers or links GS which are in turn attached at their outerends by means of similar pins 69 to an expanding or split `band 6'?.above mentioned, that at all times rests within theL `from the plane ofthe band 67 which as has been seen is held against longitudinal movementby means of the groove t7 formed slightly wider than the band, toprevent `fi'ietional contact when the band is held normally out ofengagement. As a result of these relatively changed positions of the hubY and band radial links or levers 68 as best,

yshown in Fig. e arefore-shortened, contracting the split band andthereby releasing its frictional hold upon the. clutch head ll() of thecase 30; and conversely when the ,hubv

of this clutch is thrust to the left,`as shownv in Fig. l, the band-willbe expanded and the frictional contact-,between that member and the.casing will be made, and the motive power thereby transmitted fromdriving shaft lO-,to propeller shaft 20, in the well known manner ofthis type of'transmission. i In order, however, to make the abovedescribed clutch -contact which operates the propeller more effectiveand dependable 'I Yprovide a positive action to followup and co-act withAthe frictional means which, inv the forni illustrated, is provided bymecha-- nismV comprising a series of slidable pins G5 projecting fromthe inner `face of the hub member .till and extending through guidingorifices 35 inthe hub of the actuating bevel gear 3l. The pins are madesufficiently long to project beyond the inner face of the gear 3l, andthe end of the driving shaft lOso as to enter openings 25 in the head 2of the propeller shaft `20and are yieldingly held in such operablepositionV by means of i' the springs 66 held against the enlarged ends66 on the pins.,l

Thus fit is provided that when the clutch` 60 is thrown into frictionalcontact to start the propeller to drive the launch in a kfor-gV wardvdirection, the action of the propeller will thrust forward the shaft 2Otowhich Ait is attached until stopped by the oppositely disposed drivingshaft l0, the openings 25 therein receiving the endsof the clutch pins65; or, if the pins 651arenot in register with the openingsto which theyrelate when the t'wo'shafts meet, the face 24 of the shaft will pressthe pins inwardlyagainst the action of their springs 66 so long as noslipf ping of the clutch occurs. In such case there is obviously noneedA for the functioning of the pins to make a non-slip connecf tion,but when Yslipping begins if itV does take place the water. pressureupon the revolving screw Lpropeller having thrust it forward brings theholes 25 by such slipping action into correspondence ,withl the pins 65and the positive connectionk therebetween will immediately ensue andcontinue until released by action of the operator.

The clutch action last above described is called into play forpropulsion ahead wherein the gear case` and the di'lfereiitial gearscontained thereinrotate as a unit, the gears not functioningindependently as such. For reverse motion the gear case is heldstationary while the gears perform inthe usual manner of differentials.To accomplish this result, following the usual lmethod the case is heldby a brake devicede-` pending entirely uponVV frictional means for'holding the case fromrotation. l In this ace` tion also, as inyconnection with the :forward motion, I introduce a positively act-ingelement whichl will now be described more fully in its structuraldetail. i

l employ a sliding type ofbrake-clutch 50 vhaving tapered contacts`carried into and Vout ofenaeeinent b a; sli dino motion u on #D b C5 itsperipheral base or bearing against the i that` is, when'V the gears arethrown into action by operation of the` brake clutch in` bringing`the-gear case to a stop. The

inner face of the stationary box 1.. The splines 51', vpreferably twoinvnmnber and oppositely placed, are suitably disposed' up# on thebearingintrernal surface of the box 11 in slidable engagement with. theclutch7 preventing rotatablemovement thereof as it impinges by lateralmovement upon the case 30. Upon the rperiphery of the hubi ofthe clutch'50fis a forked link or lever 54 swivel ly attached thereto by means ofthepivot pins 53 (see Fig. l). The member 54 may be al fulcrumed handlever, or a forked link attached to. a hand lever `(not shown inthedrawings)` whereby the clutch` may be slid longitudinally orf.. itsbearingto bring its; internal beveled face 55 into frictionalengagementlwith. the surface 450i' the head 40ct' the case` 30, wherebythe case` 30 may` be held `from. rotatable movementV within thebox 1 bymeans of whatever pressure shall be applied by the operator through amanually controller lever. This applicationk ot `pressure often provesinsufficient to pnevent objectionable slipping of the brake andi it'isone of. the features of: my improvement toA providev aj. lockingdevice tot elirni-` nate the defect. l

Tothis end I' employ one or more, Vpreferably two, radiali pinsA391slidably mountedV in tubularbearings 38 suitably provided in theheadi of'the gear case 30, being.,confined` therein by.- the similarbushings 38h. The pins 39 have each a rounded end, asfat 39,

that is adapted toengagei theI beveledl face 1 of the collar 29, pinnedto ther propeller 4shaft at V29p, whenthe propeller isl carriedoutwardlyas when made torotiate in reverse,

pins 39 having been thrust outwardly by the camming action ofthe collar29, in the manner described, the outer ends thereof have thereby beenbrought into position to pass through'. the bifurcation ofthe bosses 9,asA shown in Fig. 3, which have .y provided trai'isversely therethroughthe guidef orifices 9@ V(Fig. `2) into whiohextend-the ends ofv thesliding rods 59 carried by theclutch 50 and which, when the clutch ismoved in. the direction ofthe bossesr 9, carry Vthe far ends thereofinto the path of the radial` pins 39 tozforestall., by apositive-locking' Contact betweenthe` ins Siti-and rods 59' sce F-iv. 3i

slipping that will take place inthe event Vthe brake clutch 50 shouldailtofinake ar secure non-slip frictiona'lconnection whenV the mechanismhas been `thrown into reverse.

The radial` pins V39 are heldnormally inf Contact with the shaft 20 andthe collar 29 thereon'by `means or the coilA4 springs 39apressin'gagainstithe shoulder, or collar 39",

. which springs should have suiiicient strength to forestall anytendency of the ins39` toex pand by `action of feentrifugal roe ander1-- them.

y gage the rodsvprevious tothe actionof the propeller in carryingthesha'fts 20-` from the shaft 1Q.

Upon Vthe shaft 20 inned or otherwise secured thereto is provi ed acollar 2&3 which impinges upon a diskhead '33 which formsy the outermember of a'roller bearing devicemounted upon the end ofthe box 1, asshown ingtlie two clutches, whichV are the vrod 61- by means of whichthe clutchlO` is slidably actuated upon the driving `sha1-'tand the.forked lever 54 whose ends only are shown attached to the hub portionof the outer clutchO, it not having been deemed neces-` sary to show thehand lever which operates Such manually Acontrolled means, however, mayobviously consist of a single hand lever pivotally supported to theframe to be alternately thrown into either of tlwo' opposite positionsforward'and back; `the forward position, for` example, for operablyconnecting the driving clutch 60 and simult'aneously releasingtheotherclutch, andthe Y rearward position for throwing the brake( clutch intogripping action while' releasing the driving clutch; such shifting leverwhen brought into an intermediate point between the extreme positionsmentioned will thereby hold both clutches free from their operablecontacts. l

Furthermore, itV will the particular type of clutch employedjeither forforward or reverse motion is not in the form shown deemed essential tothe working of my invention, it beingA required only in any event tohave an operable portionof the respective clutches movablelongitudinally,YY

the one on the drive-shaft, the other on the gear enclosing casing, Ysoas to coact4 with thesimilar movement ofthe respective pin. tooth seriesfor locking thosev clutchesfinnthe manner described. Thisflast mentionedform of construction, namely,f havingthe bei `understood that u pinssupported directly upon the bodyof the clutch, obviously simplifies themechanismv-` and is accordingly 'adapted as a: preferred form of thelspecified details referred to;` otherwise any eiiicientl type offrfrictional` clutch may be employed'without4 departing, Y

from the spirit" ofmy invention. l

Iclaimiz" f il; Int a power transmission@ device with" differentialreverse gears; a case operably mounted within; an actuating shaftentering said case and having pinned thereto one of said gears; apropeller shaft having one end slidably entering said case in axialalignment with said actuating shaft and having.;I another of saidsplined thereon; a clutch having a longitudinally movable hub splinedupon said actuating shaft and a divided band expansively supportedthereon and adapted to be actuated into frictional contact with saidcase by sliding the clutch in the direction thereof; pins in said hubparallel to said actuating shaft and eX- tending beyond the end thereofwhen said hub has been carried in the direction thereof; orificesdisposed in the end of said propeller shaft and adapted to receive saidpins when the propeller thrusts its said shaft in the direction thereof.

2. In a power transmission device having differential gears; anactuating shaft keyed to one of the gears thereof anda propeller shaftslidably mounted in said device in axial alignment with said actuatingshaft and splined to another of said gears; a friction clutch to rotateaid differential gears asa unit; pins in said clutch; .openings in anend of said propeller shaft adapted to receive said pins when thepropeller shaft is slidably actuated; and manual means for moving saidpins into engaging position with the openings in said propeller shaft.

3. In a power transmission device for marine motors having a casecontaining differential gears, an actuating shaft keyed to one of saidgears; a slidable propeller shaft in alignment with said actuating shaftsplined to another of said gears; frictional clutching means foroperably connecting said case to rotate with said actuating shaft; andpositive locking means coacting with said slidable propeller shaft forsupplementing said frictional connecting means.

el. In a power transmission device for marine motors having a casecontaining differential gears; an actuating shaft keyed to one of saidgears; a propeller shaft in alignment with said actuating shaft splinedto another of said gears; frictional clutching means for operablyconnecting said case to rotate with said shaft; and positive lock-r ingmeans for si'lpplementing said fric yional (':onnecting means, and meansfor operating both the frictional and positive means.

5. In a power transmission device for marine motors having a casecontaining differential gears., an actuating shaft keyed to one of saidgears; a slidablc propeller shaft in aligmnent with said actuating'shaft splined lo another of said gears; frictional clutching means foroperably connecting said case to rotate with said shaft; and positiveautomatic locking means coacting with frictional means for preventingsaid case from rotating and positive automatic lockingmeans coactingtherewith to supplement said frictional means.

7 In a power transmission device for marine motors having a casecontaining differential gears, an actuating shaft keyed to one of saidgears; a propeller shaft in alignment with said actuating shaft operablyattached to rotate with another of said gears; frictional clutchingmeans for Vconnecting lsaid case rotatably to said actuating shaft;

positive locking means supplemental to said frictional means; and singlemeans for operating both the frictional and locking means.

S. In a power transmission device for marine motors having a stationaryboX and a rotatable case therein containing differential .gearsA onactuating shaft keyed to one of said gears; a propeller shaft inalignment therewith attached to another of said gears and rotatabletherewith; frictional clutching means for operably connecting said caseto rotate with said actuating shaft; frictional clutching means forholding said case against rotation relatively to said box; and separatepositive locking means for supplementing each of said frictional means.

9. In a power transmission device for motors having a non-rotatable boxand a rotatable case therein; differential gears in y said case; anactuating shaft keyed to one of said gears and a propeller shaft inalignment therewith attached to another of said gears; manuallycontrolled separable frictional means for rotating said case within saidboi; and for preventing the rotation thereof; and synchronously actinglocking .means for supplementing said frictional means.

10. In a power transmission device for marine motors having astatiOnarybox and a rotatable case therein containingdifferential gears, vanactuating shaft keyed to one of said gears; a propeller shaft with pinreceiving orifices in the end thereof, said shaft being in alignmentwith said actuating f shaft and rotatably attached to another of saidgears; frictionalvclutching means slidable upon said driving shaft foroperably connecting said case thereto; tooth projections on said ease;friotional brake clutch sldably mounted Within said box for engagingsaid case against rotation when said clutch is slid longitudinally ofthe axis; teeth upon one of said clutch members adapted to engage saidtooth projections;

` slidahle teeth upon'the other of said clutch members adapted to entersaid orifices; and means for alternately sliding said cluthes into andout of operable engagement. y

Il. In a4 power transmission Volevice for marine motors having a casecontaining differential gears, a shaft keyed to one of said gears, asecond shaft in alignment with saidy first shaft operably attachedI torotate with another ofsaid gears; frictonal clutchingV means forconnecting said case rotatably to my hand.

WILLIAM C. ESLECK.

